1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a robot cleaner.
2. Description of the Related Art
A robot cleaner is an apparatus that automatically cleans a target area without a user's manipulation by traveling on its own accord and suctioning foreign substances such as dust from the floor.
Generally, robot cleaners sense distances from obstacles such as furniture, office fixtures and walls within a target area to be cleaned, and avoid those obstacles by mapping the target area and controlling the driving of its left wheel and right wheel. In a related art, the traveling distance of the robot cleaner is measured by a controller using sensors to observe a ceiling or floor, and the distance from an obstacle is calculated based on those observation. However, since this method adopts indirectly estimating the distance from the obstacle based on the traveling distance of the robot cleaner, when the traveling distance of the robot cleaner is not accurately measured due to unevenness of the floor, for example, a distance error from the obstacle inevitably occurs. Particularly, the distance measurement method mainly used in such robot cleaners uses infrared rays or ultrasonic waves. Thus, when the obstacle scatters much of the infrared rays or ultrasonic waves, a significant error may occur in the distance measurement.
Also, protruding obstacles such as thresholds and obstacles such as desks or beds having a certain space thereunder are three-dimensionally disposed in the area to be cleaned, but typical robot cleaners cannot recognize such obstacle situations.